2018 Hall of Fame Honoree
Bill Ramsay ‘61
Bill Ramsay graduated from OMA High School in 1961 after spending two years at OMA, achieving the rank of Master Sergeant while also serving as lead guitar player in the OMA rock ‘n’ roll Band. He later graduated from The University of Tulsa with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Ramsay began his 40-year career in telecommunications at Southwestern Bell, working in the mailroom while attending college. After graduation, he held many different positions in Oklahoma and in St. Louis including sales, technical support, and marketing. He then went to AT&T at the time of the breakup of the Bell System. In 1986, Ramsay joined WilTel, a telecommunications subsidiary of the Williams Companies in Tulsa. He became a five-time recipient of the WilTel Presidents Club Award.
During this time, Ramsay and a team of executives planned and executed several acquisitions, along with negotiating large domestic and international customer contracts. The company was ultimately acquired by Verizon, and he retired from there in 2007 as Director of Global Wholesale Accounts. Since leaving Verizon, Ramsay has been developing a portrait and event photography business, along with an internet marketing company.
Ramsay has been actively involved in civic and community activities for many years including the United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Junior Achievement and the Adopt a School program. He believes that his OMA experience had a major positive influence in his life and has strived to preserve the OMA legacy by being very active in the OMA Alumni Association, serving as President of the Board of Directors for three years, and playing a key role in the production of the OMA documentary. Ramsay still plays his guitar and harmonica around town occasionally, and he and his wife Deann reside in Tulsa, enjoying their three children and four grandchildren.